McDonald's Stellar Q4 + Nebius Revenue Soars 547%! Burry Warns About PLTR, Microsoft's In-House AI Intensifies Competition?

Thursday, stock index futures rose after the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended its three-day winning streak and closed lower. Here are four stocks to watch for the day:

McDonald's Corporation (MCD) shares rose 0.7% in pre-market trading after the company reported its best quarterly performance of the year. Global same-store sales grew 5.7% in the fourth quarter, with the U.S. market up 6.8%. Notably, the fast-food chain expanded its market share during the quarter, and operating income did not decline.

Nebius (NBIS) shares rose about 1.6% in early trading after releasing its fourth-quarter earnings report. The Dutch AI infrastructure provider's quarterly revenue as of December 31 increased 547% year-over-year to $227.7 million. However, this figure fell short of the market consensus expectation of $242.79 million.

Tech giant Palantir (PLTR) rose slightly by 0.5% in pre-market trading after the company announced it had received a significant authorization from the U.S. government. Meanwhile, investor Michael Burry posted a cautious report about Palantir on his investment website. Previously, he had said earlier this month that he was "researching" some things related to the company.

Microsoft (MSFT) shares rose 0.4% before the open after its AI head, Mustafa Suleyman, said the company is pursuing "true self-sufficiency" in AI by developing its own powerful models and reducing its reliance on OpenAI. This strategic shift comes after Microsoft and OpenAI restructured their partnership in October 2025.

Four stocks to watch on Thursday: McDonald's (MCD), Microsoft (MSFT), PLTR, NBIS$Microsoft(MSFT.US)